Senior Machine Learning Research Engineer - Speech/Audio/Gen-AI

Samsung Group; Staines-upon-Thames; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company in Staines-upon-Thames is looking for a Senior Machine Learning Research Engineer. The role focuses on developing innovative AI algorithms for audio and speech processing, with responsibilities including research, software solutions for mobile devices, and collaboration with engineers. The ideal candidate will possess a strong academic background and professional experience in machine learning, with a competitive salary and significant benefits offered.

Benefits

Performance bonus up to 21.5%

8.5% employer pension contributions

25 days paid holiday, increasing to 30

Medical insurance and life assurance

Flexible benefits scheme

Samsung product discounts

Qualifications

• Proven experience with Python and software development.
• Strong understanding of various machine learning architectures.
• Experience in translating research ideas into production-ready solutions.

Responsibilities

• Drive the research and development of AI algorithms.
• Lead the development of software solutions for mobile devices.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to solve challenges.

Skills

Machine learning fundamentals

Deep learning techniques

Audio/speech processing

Communication skills

Collaboration

Education

MSc/PhD in Artificial Intelligence or related fields

Tools

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

As a Senior Machine Learning Research Engineer in Speech/Audio/Gen-AI, you will:

Responsibilities

• Drive the research, design, development, and evaluation of innovative AI algorithms and models, with a primary focus on audio and speech processing.
• Lead the development of robust and scalable software solutions for deployment on flagship Samsung mobile devices.
• Independently own and deliver significant components of complex research projects, from initial concept to production readiness.
• Design, implement, and maintain high-quality, well-documented code, adhering to best software development practices.
• Collaborate closely with a multi-disciplinary team of researchers and engineers, providing technical guidance and mentorship.
• Proactively identify and address technical challenges, proposing creative solutions and ensuring the successful delivery of projects.
• Contribute to the development of internal tools and infrastructure to support research and development efforts.

Qualifications

• MSc/PhD degree in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, or a related discipline.
• Professional software development experience with Python (experience with C++, Java, or Kotlin is a plus).
• Deep understanding of machine learning and deep learning fundamentals, including various architectures, training techniques, and evaluation metrics.
• Strong experience in audio/speech processing, including areas such as speech recognition, speech enhancement, audio analysis, text-to-speech synthesis, and natural language processing.
• Proficiency with machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Solid understanding of software engineering principles, including version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and agile development methodologies.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate research ideas into practical, production-ready solutions.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with generative AI, particularly in the context of audio/speech technologies.
• A strong publication record in top-tier machine learning, artificial intelligence, or signal processing conferences and journals (e.g., ICML, NeurIPS, ICLR, CVPR, SysML, INTERSPEECH, ICASSP, IEEE/ACM TASLP, IEEE TPAMI, JMLR).
• Experience with open-source speech processing toolkits (e.g., Hugging Face Transformers, SpeechBrain, ESPnet, Kaldi, NeMo).
• Experience developing and deploying AI models on Android mobile platforms.
• Proven experience in building and maintaining large-scale, distributed training pipelines.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary with performance bonus up to 21.5%.
• Employer pension contributions of 8.5%.
• 25 days paid holiday (increasing to 30 with time served).
• Life assurance, medical insurance, and income protection.
• Flexible benefits scheme with £600 annually to spend on benefits.
• Samsung product discounts, subsidised employee restaurant, and free parking.

Samsung Research UK (SRUK) is seeking exceptional and highly motivated Senior ML Research Engineer to join our growing AI team in Staines-upon-Thames. We are at the forefront of developing innovative technologies for future Samsung devices and services, and this role offers a unique opportunity to shape the next generation of mobile experiences. You will be instrumental in translating cutting‑edge research into real‑world impact, working on challenges that demand both creative problem‑solving and robust engineering practices.

This is a chance to contribute to a dynamic team, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in AI for mobile, and to see your contributions deployed to millions of users worldwide. We encourage applications from individuals with a strong academic background and proven expertise in the development of complex audio and speech‑related applications. You will have the opportunity to expand your expertise within a challenging and rewarding environment.

This role is available on a permanent basis but we are also open to hiring a contractor for an initial 6 month period, working via agency. The role is inside IR35.